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VICTORIA – The Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Interim Authority for Community Living BC have reaffirmed their commitment to a new community-based approach to serving people with developmental disabilities and their families, after a meeting between Minister Christy Clark and officials of the ministry and the authority.
At that meeting the ministry and the Interim Authority discussed the implementation deadlines recommended by a panel of experts in December 2003. They agreed that organizational issues need to be resolved to make the transfer of services achievable, and the June 2004 target date to transfer services should be revised.
The Interim Authority has agreed that Bert Boyd, a member of the initial readiness panel, will recommend a revised timeline for devolution of service delivery. His recommendations for a new transition plan will be delivered by Feb. 27, 2004. All parties agreed that the foundation that is built for the new authority must be sound, so the health, safety and well-being of people who rely on these services are maintained.
The move to a new governance authority will improve the lives of thousands of vulnerable people and their families. Consultation with more than 2,000 affected people and organizations showed broad support for community-based governance as a system that will be more flexible, less costly, and sustainable in the long term, while giving people with developmental disabilities more control over their own lives. British Columbia has received Canada-wide and international recognition for its innovative approach to supporting vulnerable people and their families.
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